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Chemical forms of selenium for cancer prevention
Rizky Abdulah1, Kaori Miyazaki, Minato Nakazawa
1Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University, 3-39-22, Showa-machi, Maebashi City, Gunma 371-8511, Japan. rizky@med.gunma-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
Cancer is becoming an increasingly significant disease worldwide. Currently, more than 7 million people die each year from cancer. With the existing knowledge, at least one-third of worldwide cancer cases could be prevented. Searching for naturally occurring agents in routinely consumed foods that may inhibit cancer development, although challenging, constitutes a valuable and plausible approach to the control and prevention of cancer. To date, the use of the micronutrient selenium (Se) in human clinical trials is limited, but the outcome indicates that Se is among the most promising agents. Although it is convenient to describe the effects of Se in terms of the element, it must always be kept in mind that the chemical form of Se and the dose are determinants of its biological activities. Hyphenated techniques based on coupling chromatographic separation with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) detection are now established as the most realistic and potent analytical tools available for real-life speciation analysis. These speciation investigations provide evidence that the Se compounds, which can generate monomethylated Se (e.g., Se-methylselenocysteine and methylseleninic acid), are more efficacious than other Se compounds because of their chemoprevention activity.
Insights
Selenium (Se) shows promise in cancer prevention, particularly specific compounds like Se-methylselenocysteine. Understanding the chemical form and dose of selenium is crucial for its chemoprevention activity.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Nutritional Science
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Cancer is a leading global cause of mortality, with a significant portion of cases potentially preventable.
- Dietary factors play a role in cancer development, prompting research into naturally occurring chemopreventive agents.
- Selenium (Se) is a micronutrient with emerging potential in cancer prevention, though its clinical use is still under investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the chemoprevention activity of different selenium compounds.
- To highlight the importance of selenium speciation in understanding its biological effects.
- To identify specific selenium forms with higher efficacy in cancer prevention.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing hyphenated techniques, specifically chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
- Performing real-life speciation analysis to identify and quantify different selenium compounds.
- Comparing the biological activities of various selenium chemical forms.
Main Results:
- Speciation investigations revealed that certain monomethylated selenium compounds, such as Se-methylselenocysteine and methylseleninic acid, exhibit significant chemoprevention activity.
- The efficacy of selenium in biological systems is dependent on its chemical form and dosage.
- ICP-MS coupled with chromatography provides powerful analytical capabilities for selenium speciation.
Conclusions:
- Monomethylated selenium compounds demonstrate superior chemoprevention efficacy compared to other forms.
- Accurate selenium speciation is essential for harnessing its full potential in cancer prevention strategies.
- Dietary selenium's role in cancer prevention is strongly linked to its specific chemical forms and their bioavailability.
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